Thought for the Month - September/October 2007

Excuses, excuses, excuses - By Pastor Ian Wilson

Excuses are something I am sure all of us have resorted to at times. We make excuses for late deliveries, we make excuses for non attendance at various appointments, we could go on and on.

Insurance companies have given lists of some of the most bizarre excuses received for vehicle accidents. One lady said, “An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car, and vanished.” One man said, “I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and headed over the embankment.”

Another area where excuses are often received is non attendance or avoiding physical education at school. Some schools have given some of the reasons received. . Most of these have spelling or grammatical problems.

One parent said, “Chris has an acre in his side.” Another said, “Mary could not come to school because she is bothered by very close veins.” My personal favourite, “ My son is under the doctors care and should not take P.E. Please execute him.”

The new Prime Minister on his first prime minister’s questions was asked a question by the leader of the opposition. Mr. Cameron demanded an immediate ban on an extremist Muslim group, Hizb ut Tahrir, which the government had threatened to outlaw two years ago.

The Prime Minister's response that he had only been in the job for five days drew some expressions of surprise. It was an amazing excuse offered by an experienced politician.

Many people are offering lame excuses to God. The Lord Jesus once told a parable about a great feast and how many people had been invited. This feast is a wonderful picture of God’s salvation offered to all. The Lord lists some of the excuses that were given for non acceptance of the invitation.

Luke 14:18-20 "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. [19] And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. [20] And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come"

These excuses are so feeble. Who would buy ground without having checked it first? Who would have bought oxen without trying them? And do you know any woman who doesn’t like a nice meal out?!

What excuse are you making for rejecting the gospel? Paul reminds us in Romans 1 v 20 that we are, “without excuse”.

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!